Means for landing and launching airplanes and the like



March 17, 1931. sc lM L 313 1,796,693

-MEANS FOR LANDING AND LAUNCHING AIRPLANES AND THE LIKE Filed May 31,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor:

J07UL SOhirnmeL,

March 17, 1931. MM L 3D 1,796,693

MEANS FOR LANDING AND LAUNCHING AIRPLANES AND THE LIKE Filed May 51,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 3 AJA. m T i 5 i i L mil "J IruJenZor: Jfiiut/Sciamrrwflj Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHNSCHIMMEL, 3n, BRYN HAWK, PENNSYLVANTA MEANS FOR LANDING AND LAUNGHIN GAIBPLANES AND THE LIKE Application filed May 31,

, My invention relates to means for landing and launching airplanes, andit relates more particularly to a structure by means of which airplanesmay be landed or launched in a a relatively limited s ace, therebyeliminating the necessity for t e large fields commonly em loyed forsuch purposes.

' 7 he principal 0b]8Cl3 of my invention is to provide means for landingand launching air lanes in a small area.

further object of my invention is to provide such a device in connectionwith a suitable building in which the airplanes may be stored when notin use.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a device soconstructed and arranged that the same may be readily rotated to bringit to proper positions with respect to the direction of prevailingwinds.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be morereadily understood from the-following description, taken in connectionwith the accom anying drawings forming part hereof, in w ich Figure 1 isa perspective view of a struc- Z'Fture embodying the main features of mypresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectiontaken approxi- 39 mately on the line 3-3 of Fi 2; and

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation o the structure, that is to say, a viewlooking toward the exit end thereof.

It should, of course, be understood that the drawings are to a largeextent schematic, and for the purpose of better illustrating theinvention certain of the structural details of the various parts of thedevice are omitted, as the same may be considerably varied in practice,according to the ideas of the particular designer.

Referring to the drawings, in the particular embodiment of my inventiontherein shown, 5 is a suitable building, which may serve as a storagespace for airplanes and the like when the same are not in use. Thisbuilding 5 may be of any suitable shape and mac.

Upon the roof 6 of the building 5 there 50 are provided circular rails 7and 8, upon v 1929. Serial I0. 887,386.

which a tunnel-like structure 9 is rotatably mounted. The airplanes arelaunched from within the tunnel structure 9, and they are flown into thesame when they are to he landed or brought to rest.

The tunnel structure 9 is provided with a central throat portion 10, andthe side walls 11 thereof flare outwardly to the entrance end 12, thatis to say, the end into which the airplanes are flown when they arelanded. The exit end 13 of the tunnel structure 9 may be ofsubstantially the same dimensions as the throat portion 10 thereof.

Between the throat portion 10 of the tunnel structure and the exit end13 thereof, there are provided, preferably on each side thereof, angularextensions 14, in the end walls of which are mounted fans 15.

The fans 15 may be driven by means of any suitable mechanism (notshown), such, for example, as airplane engines or electric motors. Thearrangement is such that when the fans 15 are operated, a strong currentof air will be impelled through the tunnel structure' 9 in a directionaway from the exit and toward the'entrance end.

The tunnel structure, as hereinbefore stated, is rotatably mounted uponcircular rails 7 and 8, preferably by means of wheels 16. If desired,suitable power operated mecha nism (not shown) may be employed forrotating the tunnel structure to an desired axial position, or the samemay e manually rotated.

There may also be provided an. elevator, the platform 17 of which may beof circular outline, so that said platform need not be rotated with thetunnel structure. The arrangement of the elevator is such that when theplatform 17 thereof is in its uppermost position the same will lie flushwith the floor of the tunnel structure 9, and when the platform isbrought to its lowermost position the same will be flush with the floorof the building 5, so that the airplanes may be readily brought from thebuilding to the tunnel structure, or viccwcrsu.

Upon the roof of the tunnel structure 9 there may be provided a controlroom 18, in which an operator may be located for con- 15-0 trolling theoperation of the various parts of the apparatus.

The operation of the structure may now be explained. When it'is desiredto use the same for the purpose of landing airplanes,

tion, whereby a strong current of air will 4 be impelled through thetunnel structure 9, the air flow being of greatest intensity in thecentral throat portion 10 thereof, the action being somewhat similar tothat of the well known Venturi tube.

The airplane to he landed enters the tunnel at the entrance end thereof,and upon reachingthe point in the tunnel where the current of airproduced by the fans overcomes the velocity of the plane, the airplanewill come to rest and settle upon the floor of the tunnel structure.

The fans 15 and the airplane ropeller are then simultaneously stopped.fter the airplane is brought to rest, the same may be owered from theinterior of the tunnel to.

the storage building, by means of the elevator.

When it is desired to launch an airplane, the same is raised from thebuilding, by means of the elevator, to the floor of thetunnel structure.The airplane-motor and the fans are then started, and after the airplanemotor develops suflicient speed for taking oil,

the fans are stopped, and the airplane flies out of the exit end of thetunnel structure.

It will be seen that there is thus provided means for landing andlaunching airplanes in a limited space, which may be readily shifted inaccordance with the direction of the prevailing winds, and which isadapted to be associated with a suitable building for the storage of theairplanes when the same are not in use.

I claim:

I. Means for landing and launching airplanes' comprising a tunnelstructure into and from which airplanes are adapted to fly, and meansfor creating a current of air and impelling the same through said tunnelstructure. V

2.'Means for landing and launching airplanes comprisin a tunnelstructure into and from which airplanes are adapted to fly, said tunnelstructure having an outwardly flaring entrance end,'and means forcreating a current of air and impelling the same throughthe tunnelstructure.

3. Means for landing and launching airplanes comprising a tunnelstructure into and from which airplanes are adapted to fly, means forcreating a current of air and impelling the same through said tunnelstructure, and means for supporting the tun- 1,7ae,eee

nel structure whereby the same may be badily rotated.

4. Means for landing and launching airplanes com rising a tunnelstructure having an outwar ly flaring entrance end, portions projectingangularly from the sides of-said tunnel structure, and fans located insaid projecting portions for creatin a current of air and impelling thesame t rough said tunnel structure.

5. Means for landing and launching airplanes comprising a tunnelstructure, portions projecting angularly from the sides thereof, fanslocated in said projecting portions for creating a current of air andimpelling the same through the tunnel structure, and means forsupporting the tunnel structure whereby the same may be bodily,

rotated.

6. Means for landing and launching airplanes comprising a tunnelstructure into and from which airplanes are adapted to fly, means forcreating a current of air and impelling the same through said tunnelstructure, a building u on which the tunnel strucing' airplanes betweenthe tunnel structure and the building. Y

7. Means for landing and launching airplanes comprising a tunnelstructure into and from which airplanes are adapted to fly, means forcreating a current of air and impelling the same through said tunnelstructure, means for supporting the tunnel structure whereby the samemay be bodily rotated, a building u on which the tunnel structure issuperpose and an elevator having a circular platform adapted to registerwith the floor level of the tunnel or with the floor level of thebuilding whereby airplanes may be trans orted between the tunnelstructure and t e building.

8. Means for landing and launching airplanes comprising a tunnelstructure having an. outwardly flaring entrance end, portions projectingangularly from the sides of said tunnel structure, fans located in saidprojecting portions for impelling a current of air through the tunnelstructure, a building upon which the tunnel structure is superposed, andmeans for transporting airplanes between the tunnel structure and thebuildmg.

9. Means for landing and launching airplanes com rising a tunnelstructure having an outwar ly flaring entrance end, portions projectingangularly from the sides of said tunnel structure, fans located in saidprojecting portions for impelling a current of air through said tunnelstructure, means for supportin the tunnel structure wlt'ereby the samemay be bodily rotated, a building upon which the tunnel structure issuperposed, and an elevator having a circular platform adapted toregister with the floor level of the ture is superpose and means fortransporttlmheii or with the floor level of the building wherebyairplanes may be trans orbed between the tunnel structure and theuildingT.

.1111 testimony whereof, I have hereunto slgned my name.

JDHN SGHIMMEL, m.

